Learning To Tune In To God

In summary of Luke 8:8 it says, “Still other seed fell on fertile soil. This seed grew and produced a crop that was a hundred times as much as had been planted!” When he had said this, he called out, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”

Bottom Line:

Seed that is sown on good soil will yield an abundant crop.  If you're able to understand this in context to what God word tells us and you allow it to soak in, you’ll be abundant as well.

What this means to me:

I need to be good soil, ready to accept and do something with what I hear from God.  Only then will I be productive for his kingdom.  God speaks and I hear Him through his Word.  He created me for a relationship with Him. This is the whole reason I exist. God wants me to know him intimately.  I won’t be able to have a relationship without communication. The problem is that communication is very easily misunderstood. I've been married to my wife for 26 years and I still don't always hear her or understand her. So if I can't even figure out somebody I've lived with for 26 years, how am I expected to always get it right hearing God?   Rick Warren explains that “The longer you grow in your relationship with the Lord, the easier it is to know when he's talking to you.” The key for me is learning how to tune in to him.  Jesus said in Luke 8:8, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." (NIV) God has given you all the equipment you need to hear him.  In the next few day’s I’ll be reviewing some material that Rick Warren has provided and learn how to tune in to him.  In summary, I need to prepare myself to listen and be ready to do what I hear from God.

He Who Laughs, Lasts

In summary of Proverbs 17:22 it says, “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.”

Bottom Line:

A joyful heart is good for, but a crushed spirit will dry you up

What this means to me:

Focusing on joy in my life will be much better and healthier for me.  Anytime I allow myself to be mentally/emotional/physical worn out will only lead to deterioration.  Many probably think that God’s word is filled with “Thou shalt nots,” assuming the Bible is about restrictions and making you lead a boring life.  But, having fun is good for your health.  God tells me in his Word that life is meant to be enjoyed, not just endured. "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones." (Proverbs 17:22 NIV)  Rick Warren puts it this way, "He who laughs, lasts." So I need to learn to laugh at yourself, and put some play into every day, relax, chill out, have some fun.  We’ve been going through some high pressure situations at work.  I need to consider ways I can bring some fun back to work for my team.

Work ethic: Not Working For People, But For God

In summary of Ephesians 6:5-8 it says, “Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart. Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do, whether we are slaves or free.”

Bottom Line:

We are to obey the authority we are under here on earth.  We should work hard for them, just as if Christ himself was our boss.  We work hard and serve not to please men but rather to please God.  We are to work with enthusiasm.  The Lord will reward you for doing good.

What this means to me:

This verse was written for all, whether slaves, masters or common workers, there is no distinction.  These verses definitely apply to us.  No matter what work we do, whether it be as a computer professional or in any other role; being joined with Christ calls us all to a higher standard of excellence. This translates into doing my best regardless of who I report to.  Christ is ultimately my boss and he knows and sees all and will judge accordingly.  I make it a goal in life to serve Christ in all that I do, no matter what.  These verses speak highly of integrity (doing the same thing whether visible or not visible) and doing so with a cheerful attitude and not begrudgingly.  In reality, Christ sees all and will reward accordingly.  There is nothing I do that can be hidden from him.  As such, I strive to serve as a model and examples for others and to do God's will here on earth.  The goal for my life is to reflect his character, serve his will, and bring glory and honor to him.  I must add, this is not always so easy and I fail often.  It is a conscience effort I must choose to make daily (and even hourly.)  I take my Job as a Manager, not in vain (or big headed – “I'm in charge”) but rather as a servant who serves those who report to me.  Granted I provide direction, coaching and guidance to my team, however, my job is to clear the way, overcome obstacles, and provide clarity so that those under me can do their best.  God cares deeply about this.  He designed me for a purpose and part of that is service to others and part of it is to be a model/example for others to see.  With my model/example, perhaps others will become interested, and be interested in why I am like this.  This may give me the opportunity to introduce them to their own personal relationship to Christ.  Overall, I’m not working for people, I’m working for Christ and I work towards giving my life over as in service for his purposes.  

Learning To Fix the Problem, Not the Blame

In summary of Colossians 3:8 it says, “You must also rid yourself of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.”

Bottom line:

We need to get rid of: anger, rage, talk that hurts people, insults, hateful feelings

What this means to me:

As a follower of Christ, I need to eliminate: anger, bad temper, bad feelings toward others, talk that hurts people, and obscene talk.  This is not so easy!  I read this verse before leaving for work in the morning.  Even reading it and briefly thinking about it didn’t help.  Slow traffic on a day when it is usually very light, seem to set me over the edge and put me behind.  I found myself being impatient and angry.  As the morning progressed it didn’t get much better, as early morning problems and people expectations at work occupied my time.  I think the same thing goes for relationships.  Things did not go as well for me that day either.  Often I just need to let go of my preconceived notion of how things should go and look at and pay attention to what’s happening around me.   I only have a certain amount of emotional energy. In a conversation where I’m trying to resolve conflict, I can either use that energy to fix the blame or I can use that energy to fix the problem. I won’t have enough energy to do both. So I need to learn to ask myself what’s more important, to find or put blame the other person or to resolve the conflict or fix the problem, not the blame.  The Bible is very specific about what’s out of bounds. Colossians 3:8 says, “You must also rid yourself of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips” (NIV). Those are weapons of mass destruction. The reason to fix the problem and not the blame is because blaming is a form of judging, and only God has the right to judge. I’m not the judge. I can’t figure out anybody else’s motivation. I don’t even know my own motivation at times! Only God knows. Let him be the judge.  Just focus on fixing the problem.  In summary I need to get rid of weapons of mass destruction which are: anger, rage, talk that hurts people, insults, hateful feelings

Knowing God's Truth: Jesus Christ

In summary of John 14:6 it says, "Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.’"

Bottom Line:

Jesus said, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life, the path to the Father is through Him

What this means to me:

Jesus himself has said that “he is the way, the truth and the life.”  The only way to the Father is through him.  Truth is a person; truth is Jesus Christ.  Jesus says, "I am the truth ." He doesn't indicate that truth is a religion, or a ritual, or a set of rules and regulations. He says "I." Truth is a person.  This is what separates Jesus Christ from every other leader of every other faith. Other leaders have said, "I'm looking for the truth" or "I'm teaching the truth" or "I point to the truth" or "I'm a prophet of truth." Jesus comes and says, "I am the truth."  People often think and say, that Jesus was just a great teacher.  But in reality he couldn't be just that: No great teacher would claim to be God if he wasn't. So either Jesus is conning 2.3 billion people who believe a lie, or he was nuts, or Jesus is who he said he was.  I'm betting my life that Jesus is who he said he was.  In summary Jesus is the truth and he is the way.

Knowing God's Truth through God's Word

In summary of 2 Timothy 3:16 it says, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.”

Bottom line:

Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching the truth, rebuking error, correcting faults, and giving instruction for right living,

What this means to me:

The Bible was God inspired, and useful for teaching me the truth, showing me my faults.  It corrects me when I wrong and shows me what to do. When I first considered whether I should make Christ the Lord and leader of my life I wondered how I could know that the Bible was true.  I have found that External evidence proves the Bible is reliable. There are 5,366 copies of the Bible dating from the time it was written to just 70 years afterwards. That dispels the urban legend that the Bible was changed as it passed through generations and languages. The External evidence also includes many archeological discoveries. Historians used to say that Solomon couldn't have had the horses the Bible says he had but then thousands of horse stables were found in an archeological dig. There's also the internal evidence of the Bible itself. In a court of law, a prosecutor with one or two eyewitness accounts has a good chance of making his case. The Bible is filled with eyewitness accounts. Moses was there when the Red Sea split; Joshua was there to watch Jericho fall; the disciples saw the resurrected Jesus. The internal evidence also includes the fact that the Bible tells one story with consistency though it was written over 1,500 years on three different continents by 40 different authors from every walk of life. No human being could account for that. It's an amazing example of God's abilities.  In summary, I have a book that is trustworthy and shows me the right way to do things.  It is truly the owners manual for life.  I would be wise to follow and adopt what it says.  My life may not be free of problems, but I will be able to cope with it and live a much better life and make a difference in the lives of others.

Knowing Who I Am

In summary of John 8:12 it says, “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’”

Bottom Line:

Jesus spoke saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

What this means to me:

Jesus personally told us that He is the light of the world.  If I follow him I will not walk in darkness, but rather have the light of life in me.  When Jesus said, “I am the light of the world,” he defined himself. He let us know that, “I know who I am.” More than 18 times in the Bible, Jesus says, “I am” and then gives a description. He described himself as the door, the bread of life, the way, the truth, the resurrection, and the life. Over and over, he defines himself. Jesus knew who he was and, as a result, he was not under pressure.  As long as I’m unsure of my identity, I’ll be pressured to fit into other people's molds. They will attempt to manipulate me. They will try to make me into what they think I ought to be rather than what God made me to be. One cause of stress comes from trying to be somebody that I’m not. When I’m fearful that someone's going to find out what I’m really like, that I might not be able to keep up the facade, it causes stress.  The only way I can counterbalance outside external pressures is to have an internal sense of satisfaction about who I am and who God made me to be. You discover who you are by knowing who I belong to.  The Bible says that I was created by God. I am deeply loved by him. I am accepted as I am. He has a plan for my life. Until I settle this issue of identity, I will be insecure and I will be pressured by stress. I cannot serve other people until myself settle this issue.  Jesus constantly did things that surprised everybody else. He put himself below others and served them. None of the other disciples would have ever thought to wash each other’s feet in the Upper Room because of their insecurity. But Jesus always served from a position of strength. He knew who and whose he was, so it didn't matter that he lowered himself to serve them.  Service comes from self-esteem. Until I overcome my insecurity and feel good about myself, I won't feel like helping anyone else.  In summary I need to be secure in who God made me to be.  When I feel secure then I can effectively serve others.